Wax just makes life easier, doesn’t it? I remember trying silicone when my ortho first suggested it—he hyped it up as this “next level” thing. But I swear, I spent more time picking bits of silicone out from under my brackets than actually feeling relief. The stuff clung on way too well, and sometimes it’d get wedged in weird places, which was a whole other hassle.
Wax, on the other hand, is like that old reliable friend. You slap it on, it does its job, and if you lose a chunk while eating or talking, no big deal. I do get why some people like silicone for durability—if you’re someone who hates reapplying wax all day, maybe it’s worth the extra effort. But for me, the convenience of wax wins out. Plus, I never felt like I needed tweezers just to get the stuff off at night.
Funny how something so simple can make such a difference when you’re dealing with pokey wires or broken brackets...
Is it weird that I’m actually nervous to try either? My ortho gave me both but I keep wondering if I’ll mess it up or get something stuck. Did you ever feel like wax didn’t stay put? I’m scared I’ll swallow it or it’ll just fall off when I talk. Silicone sounds like a hassle, but I’m not sure I trust myself with wax either... does it actually help with the pain, or is it just less annoying than nothing?
I totally get the nerves. When I first got braces, I stared at that little box of wax for like a week, convinced I'd mess it up or end up eating half of it by accident. And yeah, sometimes the wax just refuses to stay put—especially if you eat or even just talk a lot. Silicone’s a bit trickier to mold, but in my experience, it sticks around longer and doesn’t dissolve as fast. Both actually help with the pain, though—think of them as tiny cushions for your mouth. Not perfect, but way better than raw wires poking your cheeks.